The Gull Lake Lions playoff aspirations are still alive as they picked up their first win of the season Friday night over the Notre Dame Hounds in SHSAA nine-man football action.
Lions running back Tyden Johnson scored three touchdowns and quarterback Christian Kirk threw for two touchdowns and ran for another lifting their team to a 41-18 victory at Gerry Elmslie Field in Gull Lake.
"I've been looking forward to this game all season, I knew it was going to be a good one," Johnson told Country 94.1's Local Sports Live post-game. "Fortunately we came out with a pretty good victory. Proud of my team and coaches."
Johnson found the endzone midway through the first quarter putting Gull Lake ahead 7-0 scoring on an eight-yard rush.
"I wanted to get out there and establish dominance (early)," he said.
The grade 11 running back stretched the Lions' lead to 14-0 with 7:40 remaining in the second quarter making his way through a maze of players on a 27-yard run.
"I play a ton of sports, like track, that always helps with my agility," he said. "It really came down to my blocking, the blocking was a key part of that and the only reason I got in there was because of them."
Kirk threw for his first touchdown of the season with 2:26 left in the first half as he found offensive end Landin Benjamin with a short nine-yard pass pushing the Lions edge to 20-0.
The grade 12 quarterback called his own number early in the third quarter for a one-yard rushing touchdown to extend the lead to 27-0.
Keegan Jensen put the game on ice for Gull Lake intercepting a Hounds Clive Harazney pass and running in a nine-yard pick-six making it 34-0.
"Jensen had a hell of a game," he said. "He had two picks and a touchdown on the defensive side."
Hounds Brodie Steeves returned the ensuing opening kickoff for an 80-yard score late in the third quarter. Johnson followed it up with his third touchdown, a 58-yard pass from Kirk to put Gull Lake up 41-6.
Notre Dame scored two fourth-quarter touchdowns with passing plays but the Lions held on for the 23-point win.
The 1-3 Gull Lake Lions will visit 2-2 Moose Jaw Vanier next Friday.